Client communications

Most advisers know the basics of FMLA. The Family and Medical Leave Act is the federal law that requires employers to provide employees with a job-protected, unpaid leave of absence from work for a variety of family reasons, including military leave or their own medical-related needs. FMLA strictly regulates the process that employers must follow to comply with the law.

Americans are divided on their outlook for the economy, a Harris poll of 2,464 adults earlier this month found. Twenty-one percent expect the economy will improve, 45% think it will stay the same, and 34% fear it will get worse.

Insurance agency online marketing provider Insurance Website Builder is partnering with Insurance Technologies Corp. to add a Facebook social media plugin to its offering. The Facebook social media plugin installs a mini version of an insurance agency’s main website on Facebook, including blogs, employee directory, locations and quote forms.

Many reports indicating that Americans know they don’t have sufficient life insurance have surfaced over the past few months. So, what’s the solution? According to the 2011 Genworth LifeJacket Study, “7 Key Insights to Help Close the Coverage Gap,” Americans have a desire to work with an agent or adviser to understand the role of life insurance in securing their families’ futures. Additionally, 40% of consumers do not believe they have enough life insurance to meet their families’ long-term needs. The study illustrates that financial professionals should change the way they approach their client base and break down the barriers that keep families from obtaining adequate coverage.

Predicting an employee’s future success at a company has traditionally stumped experts, and relying on metrics such as IQ level, only tells 25% of the story. Read what makes up the other 75%, according to Shawn Achor, Harvard researcher and positive psychology expert.

Financial planners can prove their worth if they find ways to lessen the chance that their clients will not outlive their retirement funds. David Blanchett, director of consulting and investment research for the Retirement Plan consulting Group of Unified Trust in Lexington, Ky., last week detailed how planners can implement sustainable withdrawal strategies so that retirement income works for their clients.

New research from Aflac underscores a big opportunity for advisers to help ease employees’ confusion during open enrollment.

The second poll in a series of retirement pulse polls by Sun Life Financial suggests that discomfort over aging and hopes of remaining independent throughout the golden years prevent many Americans from planning long-term care. “Shut Your Eyes and Hope for The Best: American Attitudes Toward Long Term Care Planning,” surveys both mainstream and affluent Americans age 50 and older.

According to an online survey of 805 life insurance policyholders across the United States, the majority (70%) of them are confident their beneficiaries would know how to file a claim. In fact, most have taken proactive steps to help them prepare.

Financial advisers and human resources managers looking for new and more effective ways to interact with their Baby Boomer employees should be inspired by a new report that finds social networking participation among this highly coveted group surged more than 60% in the past year.

After going through all the normal marketing steps for his firm - direct mail, email and referral promotions, among others - benefits broker Jim Edholm has added another: videos.

The U.S. health care payments industry is undergoing changes as it grapples with inefficiencies in how patients, payers and providers exchange information and money. At the same time, it must respond to economic pressures, government reforms and other dynamics while it focuses on quality, value and cost reduction.

In these days of increasing reliance on electronic communication and high-tech Internet applications, in-person meetings have never been more important for Darrell Phillips. By holding regular face-to-face meetings with the 4,000 employees at his 41 501(c)(3) and governmental hospital plan clients across the state of Kansas, Phillips' mission is three-fold: 1) Build trust with the employer; 2) Serve the purpose of the programs by helping employees take advantage of their benefits; and 3) Let employees know they have access to a resource who truly cares about them.

Recently, I was asked to present in a sales seminar for one of our clients. The topic was something near and dear to me: "Changing from a product-based sales approach to a solutions-based approach."

Longer life expectancies and the individual responsibility for retirement savings are combining to challenge conventional thinking and to re-shape the relationships between employers and their older employees. Check out five significant practical benefits for plan sponsors.

With investors falling in and out of love with Wall Street at a rapid pace, some financial advisers are finding themselves playing a new role — that of marriage counselor. As financial markets remain in turmoil, couples are getting more anxious as they watch their nest eggs wither.

Hiring by small businesses slowed in August and employers reduced hours, an independent survey shows on Sunday, suggesting the recent stock market turmoil may have dampened job creation. Read how there are now fears surrounding the month's stock market rout that could ultimately make businesses hesitant to hire new workers.

For workers' compensation insurers, costs are going up as the market shrinks, according to a recent report released by the National Academy of Social Insurance, observing they are fighting to pay more for smaller slices of the pie.

Women who are in the middle of a transition — whether it be a divorce, the death of a spouse, or the inheritance of a large sum of money — often need specialized financial advice, but many of them may not know where to go, says Kimberly Howard, founder and owner of KJH Financial Services in Needham, Mass.

The hardest part of starting any business is getting clients. Whether you own a restaurant, are an attorney, an author, or an insurance broker, clients are your most valuable asset. The energy required to develop a client base at the start can seem overwhelming. However, if you treat each new client like the very first, your time spent prospecting will decrease as your business grows. It is better to have 50 clients who each feel like they are your one and only than it is to have 100 clients who think you're mediocre. Those clients will eventually go elsewhere, lured away by even the smallest dangling carrot.